Method of and apparatus for casting charges for projectiles.



P. G. PARIS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING CHARGES FOR PROJECTILES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 19:5.

1,282,623. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Mar/war PERCY G. PARIS, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOBETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATIONOF PENNSYL- VANIA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING CHARGES FOR PROJEC'IILES.

Application filed January 2, 1915.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, PERCY Gr. PARIS, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and resident of Bethlehem, Northampton county,

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Methods of and Apparatus for Casting Charges for Projectiles, ofwhich the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to the method and apparatus for casting explosivecharges for projectiles.

In the apparatus heretofore employed for this purpose, trouble has beenexperienced on account of air bubbles remaining in the charges and thusseriously affecting the quality of the product. It is the object of thepresent invention to overcome this disadvantage and to provide a methodand apparatus which may be conveniently employed and which produces theminimum amount of waste, by eliminating the use of pouring devices. Itis also the object of the invention to provide a method and apparatuswhich will produce a dense charge that will not be subject to the usualdefects arising from shrinkage, in the methods heretofore employed.

The novel features of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which is avertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates the body of a mold in which thecharge is formed. The body 10 has a removable bottom 11 which is securedby bolts 12 or any other suitable fastening devices. The upper end ofthe body 10 is provided with a flange 13 and has secured thereon a riser14 pro vided with a jacket 15 through which a heating medium may becirculated, connections 16. and 17 being provided for this purpose. Thejacket 15 has a flange 18 which is socuredto the flange 13 by bolts 19or other suitable means. The upper end of the riser 14 is provided witha cap 20 in which a pipe 21 is secured, this pipe communicating with theinterior of the riser 14. A threeway valve 22, having an operatinghandle 23, is connected with the pipe 21 and also with a suction pipe24. The pipe 24 leads to any suitable form of exhauster (notSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Serial No. 310.

shown) for the purpose of exhausting the air from the mold 10 and theriser 14. The branch of the valve 22 communicates with the externalatmosphe e so that the interior of the riser 14 may be placed incommunication with the external atmosphere when desired.

A pipe 26 extends through the jacket 15 and is secured to the riser 14adjacent the lower end thereof. This pipe extends into a reservoir 27 toa point near the bottom thereof, and has a valve 28,'controlled by ahandle 29, by means of which the flow of the charge-forming materialthrough the pipe 26 may be controlled. The reservoir 27 is provided witha jacket 30 through which a heating medium may be circulated, inlet andoutlet pipes 31 being provided for this purpose. It will be observedthat, in the arrangement illustrated, the pipe 26 extends over the upperedge of the reservoir 2-? and, in order to prevent the fluid in thispipe from solidifying, a suitable jacket or steam coil 32 is arranged onthe exposed portion of the pipe.

In the operation of the apparatus a suitable supply of moltencharge-forming material is maintained in the re ervoir 27 and when itisdesired to cast a charge the valve 28 is closed and the valve 22 isturned so as to establish communication between the pipe 24 and theinterior of the riser 14 and thus exhaust the air from the interior ofthe riser and the body 10. When the air is exhausted from the mold,valve 22 is closed so as to cut off pipe 24, the valve 28 is .opened andthe charge-forming material is allowed to siphon over into the mold soas to fill the body 10 and also the riser. When the riser 14 isapproximately full valve 28 is closed and the charge-forming materialallowed to remain there during solidification. It will be understoodthat the riser 14 is heated by steam or other heating medium in thejacket 15 when the apparatus is in use so that the material in the riserwill be maintained in a fluid condition while the material in the body10 is solidifying, and as the solidification in the body 10 proceeds,any tendency of the charge to shrink ,Will be overcome by material fromthe riser and in this way the charge, when completely solidified, willfill the mold 10. If

being scraped therefrom.

desired a suitableprotecting casing ofwpape'r or other material may beplaced in the mold 10 before the charge is cast.

After the charge has solidified the valve 28 is opened and the valve 22'turned so as to admit air to the riser 1a. In this Way the material inthe riser Will be drained back through the pipe 26 into the reservoir27. The body 10 of the mold may then be detached from the jacket 15 ofthe riser and the charge extracted from the mold by removing the bottom11 of the mold. The charge Will have a solid or semi-solid projection onthe upper end thereof and When this is removed the charge is in thecompleted form. The body 10 is then attached to the jacket 15 and thebottom 11 placed in positionand the operationof casting repeated. Itwill be understood that several different mo'lds'may be arranged aboutthe reservoir 27 and the operation of casting the charges may proceed in,all of the molds simultaneously. It will also be evident that theelimination of pouring devices avoids the usual loss due to the materialsolidifying on these devices and necessitating its The maintenance ofthe riser in a fluid state not only insures against shrinkage of'thecasting but also permits the material in the riser to be readily drainedback into'the supply reservoir 27. The exhaustion'of the air from themold before the casting operation insures that there will be no airbubbles in the charge or on the surface thereof.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed is 1. The method ofmaking charges Which consists in exhausting the air from a hermeticallysealed mold, having a riser thereon, siphoning the chargeformingmaterial "from a molten supplv thereof into the mold and riser,maintaining the' naterial in the riser in a molten state while thecharge is solidifying and thereafter expelling the molten material fromthe riser to the supply. I

2. The'method ofmaking' charges Which consists in exhausting the airfrom a her- 'meticallysealed mold, having a riser thereon, siphoning thecharge-forming material from a molten supply thereof into the mold andriser, and maintaining'the material in the riser in a molten state Whilethe charge solidifying, and admitting air to the mold and draining ofithe material in the riser While it is in a fluid state.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of ahermetically sealed mold having a riser, a suction pipe conneected Withsaid riser for the purpose of exhausting air from the mold, means formaintaining a supply of molten charge- ,forming materiahmeans forconveying said material'from'said supply-tame mold at a point adjacentthe bottom of .the riser,

Without admitting air to the mold, a valve the combination of ahermetically sealed .mold having a riser, a suction pipe connected Withsaid riser for the purpose of exhausting air from the mold, means formaintaining a supply of molten charge-forming material, heated means forconveying said material from said supply to the mold at'a point adjacentthe bottom of theriser, Without admitting air to the mold, a valve inthe last mentioned means, means Whereby the riser may be heated tomaintain the material therein in a fluid condition, means for admittingair to the riser, and means whereby the mold may be opened to permitremoval of the charge.

'5. In apparatusof' the class described, the combination of a moldhaving a riser thereon, a supply reservoir arranged to be heated for thepurpose of rendering the charge-forming material fluid, a pipe leadingfrom the lower part of said reservoir to said mold adjacent the bottomof said riser, a suction pipe connected With said riser, and meanspermitting a separation of the mold at the bottom of the riser.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination-of a moldcomprising an upright body portion, a removable bottom on the bodyportion and a jacketed riser secured to the upper end of the body por-"tion,- a reservoir arranged to be heated for the purpose of renderingthe charge-forming material fluid, an externally heated'pipe for thepurpose of conducting the chargeforming material from the lower part ofsaid reservoir to said riser adjacent the lower endthereof, a valve insaid pipe, and a suction pipe, connected With the upper end of saidriser.

7 In ail-apparatus of the class described, the combination of a moldcomprising an upright body portion,fa removable bottom wvithin saidreservoir, a suction pipe connected With the upper end of said riser,and means whereby communication may be established between the interiorofthe riser and the external atmosphere.

'8. 'Inana'pparatus of the class described,

the combination of a mold comprising a body portion, a removable bottomfor said body portion, a jacketed riser to which said body portion isdetachably secured, a reser voir provided with means whereby thechargeforming material therein may be heated, a heated conduit forconveying the charge-forming material from the said reservoir to themold, a suction pipe and a three-way valve connected with said pipe andsaid riser and adapted to establish communication between the riser andthe suc- 10 tion pipe or the riser and the external atinosphere.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERCY Gr. PARIS. Witnesses:

F. E. SIEGFELDT, E. M. ZIMMERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

